Graphene Nanocapillary Cooling Structure for Insulated Chip Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooling mechanisms for semiconductor devices face challenges in maintaining insulation properties while achieving high thermal conductivity, leading to inferior heat dissipation performance and violating miniaturization requirements due to increased size for enhanced cooling capacity.

Innovation Solution

A nanocapillary structure composed of graphene layers with metal layers forming channels for refrigerant passage, which maintains insulation and enhances thermal conductivity without increasing device size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If graphene particles are mixed in sealing resin to improve thermal conductivity, then heat dissipation is improved, but insulation properties deteriorate when mixing amount is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidinsulation properties
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the cooling function into two separate components: a heat dissipation fin for thermal management and a sealing resin for insulation. The graphene particles are exclusively incorporated into the heat dissipation fin rather than the sealing resin, allowing thermal conductivity enhancement without compromising the insulating properties of the sealing material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heat dissipation fin is designed with localized graphene particle incorporation to create high thermal conductivity regions only where heat dissipation is needed. The sealing resin maintains its original insulating properties without graphene addition, creating spatially differentiated material properties optimized for their respective functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If heat dissipation fins and heat pipes are used to improve cooling performance, then heat dissipation is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the heat dissipation fin and sealing resin into a single integrated semiconductor package structure. The heat dissipation fin is positioned to extend from the package top surface, while the sealing resin fills the surrounding space, creating a compact unified structure that provides both cooling and sealing functions without requiring separate heat pipe components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat dissipation fin is designed to extend vertically from the top surface of the semiconductor package in the height direction, utilizing the vertical dimension for heat dissipation rather than expanding horizontally. This dimensional approach allows efficient heat dissipation while maintaining a compact footprint area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Temperature

If graphene particles are mixed in sealing resin, then thermal conductivity is improved, but electrical insulation cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal conductivityVSAvoidelectrical insulation
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the functional requirements by placing graphene particles only in the heat dissipation fin where thermal conductivity is needed, while keeping the sealing resin free of conductive particles to maintain electrical insulation. This spatial separation of materials with different properties resolves the contradiction between thermal and electrical requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

High thermal conductivity is localized to the heat dissipation fin through graphene incorporation, while the sealing resin maintains its electrical insulating properties without graphene. Each material receives the specific property enhancement it needs for its designated function, avoiding the trade-off between thermal and electrical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The nanocapillary structure effectively transfers heat to refrigerants at high speeds, suppressing temperature rise in semiconductor devices while allowing for miniaturization and maintaining insulation properties.

Implementation Method 1

a first graphene layer which is formed on the first metal layer and has a nanocapillary channel; a second graphene layer which is joined to an upper surface of the nanocapillary channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

Graphene is suitable for use as a heat transfer filler because of its good thermal conductivity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4266364B1Cooling mechanism having nanocapillary structure, semiconductor device equipped with cooling mechanism, method for producing same, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4266364B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4266364B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP4266364B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Conventional problems are solved by providing a cooling mechanism having a nanocapillary structure constituted by graphene, a semiconductor device including the cooling mechanism, a method for manufacturing the same, and an electronic device. A first metal layer, a first graphene layer formed on the first metal layer and having a nanocapillary channel, a second graphene layer joined to an upper surface of the nanocapillary channel to form an opening of a passage for a refrigerant, and a second metal layer covering the second graphene layer are included.